will is Gods will so of the other petitions Wherby it appeareth that they would haue prayers made vnto Saincts properly euē as vnto God Arg. 2. Exod. 32.13 Moses thus praieth Remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob thy seruants Moses hopeth here to haue his praiers heard by the merites of these holy men Ans Moses rehearseth here onely the couenant which the Lord made with these holy men and their séed as the words following do shew To whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe and saidst vnto them I will multiply your seede Moses therefore pleadeth not the merites of Abraham Isaac and Iacob but vrgeth and presseth the promises of God and couenant made with them That prayer is onely to be made vnto God and to no creature at all as beyng an especiall part of the worship of GOD which wée ought not to giue to any other thus it is proued by the word of God Arg. 1. Rom. 10.14 How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued But wée must beléeue onely in God and therefore wée ought onely to pray to him Auns Rhe. It is true no more can we pray to our Lady nor any Sainct in heauen vnlesse wée beléeue they can help vs. Auns The sacred Scriptures euery where teach vs that we must beléeue in God that they are cursed that put any cōfidence in mā Ier. 17.5 Againe they can haue none assurance to settle their cōsciences but out of the Scriptures They haue a vaine persuasiō of the ability of Saints to help thē but they haue no ground of any such belief out of the Scriptures We sée then that we ought to pray to God only in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ We must not only in aduersity but in prosperity do it we must do it ordinarily seing that we cannot liue one minute of an howre without the gracious help merciful assistāce of our good gracious God And the fauour which we looke for at his hands cōsisteth not onely in deliuering vs from death when we are at the pits brim as the ignorant imagine but also in daily preseruing vs in turning away all euil frō vs. For we sée that we are in this life cōtinually besieged with an hundred daungers the miseries whereunto we are subiect are without number You sée thē that we ought to cal vpon God not only whē he toucheth vs smiteth as though he laid hard stroakes vpon vs but euen when we be at peace rest perceyue euer do expect dangers towards vs euen then it behooueth vs to consider to how many miseries our life is subiect vnto that being persuaded that we cannot escape except God help vs we may fly vnto him say Alas Lord cōsider our miseries kéep vs vnder the shadow of thy wings euē vnder the protection by thy prouidēce make vs able to passe thorow al dāgers which enuiron hem vs in round about This must be done both morning noone and night abroad and at home but especially morning and euening Moreouer let vs consider that Sathan with sundry manifold tēptations doth daily assault vs Therfore let vs pray vnto God daily howrely to deliuer vs by his power The 2. part of the first Sermon Psalm 25.2 My God I trust in thee let me not be confounded let not mine enemies reioice ouer mee AS if the prophet had said O my God my hope is onely fixed on thée let me not be confounded and put to shame and so be derided of mine enemies Doct. 1 1. Doctrine Our hope ought to be fixed onely in the Lord. The Reason is for that of him commeth our saluation 2. Reason Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth our fathers hoped in thée they trusted in thée were not confounded Iob 14.14 If a man die shall he liue againe all the dayes of mine appointed time or warfare will I waite vntill my chaunging come Our hope must perseuere Which saying is worthy to be wel marked For if we be tossed with neuer so many troubles it is not enough vpon some good motion affection to say Now must we trust in God for that is nothing except wée hold out euen in the middest of all our encoūters First therfore let vs marke that Hope is not a daies bird or a moneths birde but must continue to the end And doubtles when we be fully setled on Gods promises he holdeth vs still in the same to the end we may not quaile euery day but that whē we haue ouerpassed some time we may alwaies be established more and more vntill God hath performed the thinges which as yet he hath delaied vntill another time You sée then that it booteth not to haue had some good affection or to haue trusted in God except we continue so throughout And Iob hath expressed it plainly vnder the name of trauaile or battell Why so He meaneth not that we goe to our God at our ease As long as we suffer nothing we can find in our hearts to liue still in this world and to prolong our life double if it were possible Our desire is then that God should handle vs without gréeuing vs please vs in all respects and obay vs in all our desires Sée how easily we would passe the time if we might go but our owne pase if we might haue no temptation that there might be no heauines nor feare But it is said that we must giue attendance all our life long yea euen with wrestling In these words al the daies we are taught that if the time linger and séeme long to vs we must not take it for an excuse to do euill and to be gréeued and to giue ouer all in the middest of our iourney but we must continue to the ende Vnder this word battell or fighting is expressed vnto vs the state of this present life which is that being but warfarre in this world wee must be faine to fight to be besieged on all sides to be in continuall perill to be tempted sometimes with cares sometimes with aduersities and sometimes with some daungers Therefore let vs thinke vpō it Iob 13.15 Loe though he slay me yet will I put my trust in him and I will reproue my waies in his sight Psalm 17.8 Keepe mee as the apple of the eye hide me vnder the shadow of thy wings Psalm 57.1 2. Haue mercy vpon mee O God haue mercy vpon me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy winges will I trust till these afflictions ouerpasse verse 2. I will call vnto the most high God euen to the God that performeth his promise towards me Simil. Augustini We fasten now our hope in the holy land of heauen as an anchor lest in the sea of this world we being troubled should make a shipwracke Euen as therefore of a ship that is at anchor we say Well now it is at the land
is affirmed in the secōd place are like a yong Lion which is couragious For he goeth on his way boldly and swiftly without returning backe for feare of any The reason is For that being at peace with God hauing a good cause and a sound conscience he dreadeth no obiection nor daunger This same Integritie therefore is like Noahs Arke wherein he was preserued whē others that were without perished It is like the red thred which the spies of Ioshua gaue to Rahab which was as a charter whereby shée claimed her life when the rest were destroyed which had not the like So is this vprightnes of smal reckoning I cōfesse with men of this world which thinke that there is none other heauē but earth But as Rahabs thred was better to her then all her goods substance when the sword came so vprightnes is better to Gods children then all the world when death commeth If they haue this within they care not nay they néed not care what can come without If Sathans buffetting come this is an helmet of proofe if Sathans dartes flie this is a shield to quench them if floods of troubles come to carrie vs away this is a shippe to beare vs vp if all the world cast myre and filth in our faces wée are not a whitte the more deformed but still beautifull For the Kings daughter is all beautifull within Psalm 45.13 Let vs haue regard to a good conscience and because it is so precious a iewell I wish all persons that as yet neuer laboured to get a good conscience now to begin Reasons to induce men thereunto are sound and good First you séeke day and night from yéere to yéere for honors riches pleasures which you must leaue behind you much more ought you to séeke for this vprightnes cōsidering that conscience will be with you in this life in death at the last iudgement and for euer 2. Reason He which wanteth a conscience purged in the bloud of Christ can neuer haue any true lasting comfort in this life Suppose a mā were arraied in cloth of tissue set in a chaire of estate before him a table furnished with all daintie prouision his seruants monarches and Princes his riches the chiefest treasures kingdomes of the world but withall suppose one standing by with a naked sword to cut his throate or a wild beast ready immediatly to pull him in péeces now what can wee say of this mans estate but that all his happines is nothing but woe and misery And such is the estate of all men that abounding with riches honours and pleasures carrie about them an euill conscience which is as a sword to slay the soule or as a rauinous beast ready to sucke the blood of the soule and to rend it in péeces 3. Reason He which wanteth a good conscience can do nothing but sinne his very eating and drinking his sléeping waking and all that he doth turneth to sinne the consciēce must first be good before the action can be good if the roote be corrupt the fruites are answerable 4. Reason An euill conscience is the greatest enemy that a man can haue because it doth execute all the partes of iudgement against him It is the Lords Sergeant God néedeth not to send out proces by any of his creatures for man the conscience within a man wil arrest him and bring him before God It is the Gaoler to kéepe man in pryson in boltes and irons that he may be forth comming at the day of iudgement It is the witnes to accuse him the iudge to condemne him the hangman to execute him and the flashings of the fire of hell to torment him Againe it maketh a man to be an enemy to God because it accuseth him to God and maketh him flie from God as Adam did when he sinned Also it maketh a man to be his own enemy in that it doth cause him to lay violent hands vpon himselfe become his owne hangman or his owne cut-throate And on the contrary a good conscience is a mans best friend when all mē entreate him hardly it will speake faire and comfort him it is a continual feast and a Paradise vpon the earth 5. Reason The sacred scripture sheweth that they which neuer séeke for good consciences haue terrible endes For either they die blockes as Nabal did or desperate as Cain Saul Achithophel and Iudas 6. Reason Wée must consider often the terrible day of iudgement in which euery man must receyue according to his workes and that we may be then the better absolued the best way is to séeke for a good conscience for if our conscience be euill and condemne vs in this life God will much more condemne vs. And whereas we must passe through thrée iudgemēts the iudgemēt of men the iudgement of our consciences and the last iudgement of God we shall neuer be strengthened against them and cleared in them all but by the séeking of integrity and a good conscience Psalm 25.22 Deliuer Israel O God out of all his troubles The 2. part of the tēth Sermon THe Prophet by this clause sheweth what manner of aduersaries they were against whome he complained to God Domesticall enemies it is probable they were which as a disease inclosed in the bowels of a mā tormented vexed the people of God For by the word Deliuer or Redeeme we gather that the Church of God was with great seruitude gréeuously oppressed Therefore I doubt not but the Prophet in praying to bée deliuered both himselfe particularly the Church generally from their troubles prayeth to be deliuered from the hands of Saul other tyrants that were for this purpose to torment and persecute not onely the Prophet but the whole Church vnder his tyrannicall gouernment The sence is O Lord our God I hūbly beséech thée for Christes sake to redéeme not only me thine vnworthy seruant but also thy whole Church which is greatly vexed and miserably kept in seruitude by Saul and other tyrants O Lord we are thy seruants and the shéep of thy pasture and thou art our Shepherd thou art our father and wée thy children therefore wée beséech thée extend thy fatherly compassion to deliuer vs thy deare children out of our miseries so shall wee both in this lyfe and that to come glorifie thy holy name world without end Doctr. The Doctrine is Wée must in all our troubles pray to GOD not onely for our selues but for all the whole Church to bée deliuered from our miseries The Reason is If one member suffer other must needs suffer 1. Corinth 12. Vse The Vse Let vs therfore performe this dutie towards the whole Church that shée may also do the like for vs then shall wée bee assured that the Lord will deliuer vs when hée séeth it méete for his glory and our good seing he hath promised to graunt the requests of his spouse the Church This grace the Lord graunt vs all for his mercies sake to whome with the Sonne and the holy Ghost be all glory wisedome thankes honour power and might both now and for euer Amen Soli Deo gloria
men to relieue them And therfore when the Angels came to him in the forme of men hee is noted by the holy Ghost to haue entreated them yea to haue as it were compelled them to eate meate in his house Good Lot folowed his steps wayting in his doores or gates to harbour poore straungers and therefore when the Angels came into Sodom Gen. 19.1 2 3. like straungers and pilgrimes hee compelled them in some sort to enter into his house and to take such lodging and entertainment as his state was able to afforde And hereby some as the Apostle noteth haue receiued Angels into their houses vnwares Heb. 13.1 But nowadayes there are many that are so farre off from this liberalitie that they will shut vp their gates euen in this great time of scarcitie The like hath not as I suppose of so long continuaunce béene in this Realme of England in many ages when many hundreds are ready through want of foode a lamentable case to bee considered which for our sinnes for which GOD is so highly displeased with this land especially our contempt of the holy Religion the breach of the Sabboth the blaspheming of the holy name of God vncharitablenes with infinite more the Lord doth inflict vpon them and vs in the time of refection And which is more detestable so hard are the hearts of many that they haue not onely not relieued them but rated them Is that the worst No. They haue which will make a good heart euen to melt and as the Prophet Ieremie saith Lam. 2. his eyes faile with teares his bowels swell his lyuer to bee powred foorth vpon the earth to thinke of their crueltie euen to whip them away from their gates Againe other some of great reuenewes because they will not kéepe hospitalitie nor relieue the poore at home they giue vp house and either soiourne and table with some friends or els take a chamber in some Citie or Towne where they will kéepe no house at all but with a man and a boy and that seldome liue both meanely basely and obscurely to the blemishing and slayning of their credite and worship for euer Euen they whose lands and possessions are worth peraduenture fiue hundred pound yea it may be a thousand pound yéerely whose parents and auncestors kept twentie or fortie men I allow not of Idlenesse but I commend maintaining them in a Liuerie maintained great hospitalitie to the great reliefe of al the poore Country about them euen they I say doe so And yet will al their reuenewes scarce serue to maintaine their small port withall notwithstanding that they so racke their lands raise their rents and exact such fines and incomes as they make two fold so much more of their liuings now as their forefathers did in times past Now it may profitably be demanded how they carrying so lowe a saile can spend so great reuenewes which before times maintained so many score and relieued so many thousands of poore I answere first Gods curse is vpon all they haue and then how can it be otherwise Secondly they spend it for the most part either in sumptuous apparell gorgeous buildings both which are too rife at this day in England or els in feasting and banqueting in ryoting and gurmandizing besides other chamber-workes which I blush to name For as the Apostle saith It is a shame once to name those things which are done of them in secrete God turne their hearts and giue them grace to containe themselues within themselues to maintaine hospitalitie for the reliefe of the poore and to vphold that porte worship and credite which their forefathers did Our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 10.42 That a cup of cold water giuen in his name shall not bee left vnrewarded And the Apostle Paul calleth it Phil. 4.18 an Odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God Alas consider wherfore did God giue you such great store of riches and large possessions in this life aboue your brethren was it not to doe good with them and to helpe them that haue néede Know you they were not lent you to spend in ryot and excesse in pride or gluttonie drunkennesse or chambering no nor in hawking nor hunting nor in any such kind of vanitie No No it will not at the great day of accompt the day of iudgement goe for payment when it shal be said Luk. 16. Giue an accompt of thy stewardship for thou must no longer bee steward I counsel you therefore to learn of the vniust steward to make you friends of the wicked Mammon And to bend my speach to all generally I counsell you to study to bee more carefull in relieuing the poore distressed members of Iesus Christ euery one according to that portion which the Lord hath bestowed vpon you that so you may be counted the Lords faithfull stewards meete to inherite that kingdome which the Lord hath purchased for all them that walke in his pathes kéepe his couenant and testimonies verse 10. All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keepe his couenant and his testimonies Text. The Exposition By pathes in this place the Prophet vnderstandeth the whole regiment of God wherewith hee ruleth all thinges that he hath created The sence is Whatsoeuer the Lord doth towards them that kéepe his couenant and testimonies whether it be that he afflict them or whether he suffer them to fal into sin he therby sheweth mercy kéepeth the truth of his promise towards them Temptations wherwith Sathan assaulteth vs are not the least afflictions which God as with a salue doth eure our soules with When God giueth him power to wound the children of GOD he permitteth it to humble them to the end that when they be so grieuously tormented and do yet still resist the assaults that are made vpon them they should vnderstand Simil. that that commeth not of themselues but that they bee vpheld otherwise that is to wit by the grace of GOD and by the power of his holy spirite To this purpose it is that the Apostle Paul in the 8. Chapter to the Rom. 28. verse saith Also we know that al things worke for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose So then when God giueth Sathan leaue to tempt the faithfull ordinarily it is to serue thē as it were with a * Euen as an holesome medicine although biting grieuous to the flesh doth cure the diseases of the bodie euen so temptations of Gods children doe cure their soules medicine And heerein we sée the vnspeakable and wonderfull mercy and goodnesse of our gracious God in turning euill into good For what can Sathan and sinne bring but rancke poyson and venim Yea hee hath nothing but death for he is called the Prince of death So then whatsoeuer Sathan can effect it turneth altogether to mans destruction and to the drowning of them in endlesse damnation And yet
saith that our louing Lord and swéete sauiour Iesus Christ hath of his mercies not of your merits for you haue none reconciled you to God his father and to wash and clense you hath shedde his precious bloud that he hath paid the price of your ransome that by his righteousnesse you might be acquited and by this meanes become holy and acceptable to GOD our heauenly father the knowledge of these things is to the end wee should throughly cleaue vnto him say What meanes haue we to be saued by but onely by the frée grace of God seing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath of his infinite goodnes made full and sufficient satisfaction for vs and to the ende that our faith should rest therupō But may we lie still and sléepe like Swine No. No. We must awake we must repayre by Praier to God say Wherein is our welfare Euen in the death and passion of our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus Therfore we must seeke it there for wée shall neuer finde it elsewhere neyther with men nor Angels And how must wee seeke it but by Praiers and supplications Then let vs pray vnto him and say O Lord seing thou seest vs farre from all goodnes giue vs the true feare of thee send downe thy holy Spirite into our hearts to reforme renue and direct vs in our waies True it is we are wretched sinners but forasmuch as we are members of the mysticall body of thy deare sonne our sauiour Christ Iesus we pray thee make vs righteous through him True it is that we are polluted and full of spottes but his precious blood can cleanse vs we are guilty of euerlasting death and in bondage to it but our sweet Sauiour and Lord Iesus Christ hath set vs free from it Wherefore O gracious God fill thou vs with thy holy sweete spirite that by his strength wee in our pathes and waies that we haue chosen may be ledde and conducted suffer vs not for any temptation to fall from thee What man is he that feareth the Lord Him will he direct in the way that hee shall chuse Text. Doct. This beyng an Interrogation wee learne this Doctrine Litle is the flock and small is the number of them which truly feare the Lord. The reason is For although the most men seeme to pray the greatest nūber frequēting the assemblies where the word is preached as for others they euidently openly professe thēselues that there is no feare of GOD before their eyes séeme many times like painted Sepulchers faire without and foule within like Copper which resembleth Golde when it is not it like stage-plaiers that seeme to be Kinges and Princes when in deed they are starke and very beggers when they seeme as if they repented when their liues and conuersations doe euidently shew that they are not in substance that which thy seeme in shew Therefore most rare is the feare of God to be found whereby it cōmeth to passe that iustly vpon great cause the Lord depriueth the wretched and miserable worldlings of the Spirit of counsel and wisedome Vse The vse is That wee pray vnto God to giue vs his holy blessed spirite that wee seeme not to feare the Lord when wee are farre from it but that he will sanctifie our harts with sincerity that all hypocrisie being remoued farre from vs we may be so directed by the same spirit in our way that other seing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen And forasmuch as hypocrisie is so great and gréeuous a sinne as that it not onely deceyueth men but so displeaseth the Lord as hee many times although not alwaies nor al such persons plagueth and punisheth them in this life but much more in that to come Apo. 21. who shall haue their partes with the fearfull and Adulterers in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death I thinke it conuenient to handle this point seing that the most are such that they seing how odious it is in the sight of GOD may not onely detest it but also vtterly flie from it as a most mortall and deadly enemy Euen as the fowler A similitude of a painted Oxe to take the silly birds which with a painted Oxe which is not an Oxe but vnder the shape and likenesse thereof lieth in waite for the poore birdes that hee might take them and kill them So he which with a counterfaited and fayned holinesse will colour and couer impietie wicked purposes or whatsoeuer is against the will word of God hath not the feare of God but vnder the colour and shape of godlinesse and honesty séeking the prayse and glory of the world hée casteth in his head and worketh by degrees the ruine decay vndoing of others that hée may compasse their goods lands and possessions and gaine some honour and dignity among men 2. Tim. 3 5. Such men haue a shewe of godlinesse but as the Apostle saith haue denied the power thereof And although some hypocrites will sometimes seeme to forsake their riches and lende some to their neighbors and bestow some vpon the poore yet still the marke and leuell they shoote at is to augment and encrease them A similitude of the soaring hawke for the silly bird For euen as the swift hawke entending to take the birde that flieth doth not presently when she seeth her seyse vpon her but rather at the first with fetching a compasse séemeth to forsake her but at the second or third flight she goeth towards her with a wonderfull force and incredible swiftnesse to take her in the ayre and to rend her in péeces Right so do hypocrites for at the first sight they will séeme not to regard neither thee nor thine but to continue the riches and promotions of the world but then they come and counterfeit a simplicity fowling for a greater matter then they presently sée and reaching at some greater promotion and higher dignitie then the present time and occasion doth offer but at the second or third flight when all thinges aunswere their expectation thou shalt perceiue that with all spéede and gréedinesse they will lay hold on those things which thou supposedst they had contemned These are doubleharted men they haue wicked lippes and handes that worke iniquitie these are sinners that go two waies and eternall woe is their reward The hypocrite goeth two manner of waies when he laieth vp one thing close in his hart the other he sheweth in his actions speaketh one thing doth another Such an one was Herod Math. 2. pretending a great deuotion towardes Christ and that he would worship him when hée was whetting his sword to destroy him True Christians lead their liues although not in perfection according to their profession and as S. Iames saith do shewe their faith by their workes All hypocrites whatsoeuer they would séeme to be do so farre differ from true Christianitie as the drosse of
excéeding sicke dealeth more roughly and seuerely with his Sonne then with his seruant not because hée loueth his seruant more then his Sonne but because hee would restore his sicke seruaunt to his former health but his Sonne whom hee loueth most déerely hée reprooueth checketh taunteth and correcteth Euen so our good gracious GOD and louing father sometimes afflicteth his deere children whom he tenderly loueth and suffereth thē to be exercised with wéepings wailings and want with sighes and sorowfull sobbes with hunger and cold with nakednes and want of harbor with heauinesse of heart and vexation of spirite with sicknes of body and restraint of liberty and with a thousand other calamities and cares and in the meane time suffereth the wicked and vngodly ones of the world to want nothing he giueth them health wealth and libertie worldly honour and dignitie and what not meaning and purposing by these means if the fault bee not in themselues to bring them to know feare honor and serue him by whose prouidence and appointment they haue and do enioy all those good blessings and so be cured and healed of the sores and sicknesse of their soules A similitude As the skilfull Gemmarie and cunning Lapidarie doth willingly suffer the Indian Diamond or Adamant to be smitten with great and waighty blowes because he knoweth well that the hammer and Anuile will sooner be brused then the Diamond or Adamant will be broken so our most wise God yea wisedome it selfe suffereth men of excellent vertues of vnquenchable charity and inuincible constancy as Dauid to fall into diuers temptations to be plunged deepe into manifold miseries because he will haue their inward graces to shewe foorth and so shine before men that they seing the constancy of his Saincts may glorifie God which is in heauen For he is sure that they are cōstant that nothing can separate them from the loue of God Ioseph was imprisoned in Egypt Ieremy in Iudea Ezechiel in Chaldea and Iohn Baptist in Israel by wicked Herode and yet all these infinite others did neuer shrinke from God but as they liued in him so they died in him and are exalted vp on high and shall dwell in his tabernacle rest in the hill of his holines for euer And euen so if wee wil be as they were we shall be as they are True it is that God being iust doth neuer afflict vs vniustly which thing we ought alwaies to thinke confesse to humble our selues and glorifie God Neuerthelesse God doth not alwaies take occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but oftentimes he sheweth this fauour to his children to dispose it for their benefite Text. Mine eies are euer towards the Lord for hee will bring my feete out of the nette Doct. 2 2. Doct. The continuall lifting vp of Dauids eies to the Lord teacheth this Doctrine whosoeuer will pray aright that the Lord might accept them must lift vp continually their affections to the Lord for by the eye which of the sences is the sharpest and draweth the whole man to himselfe he meaneth all the affections of man The Prophet no doubt also by the eyes meaneth his corporall eies which as by an instrument did draw vp his affections to the Lord. The reason is All good things whatsoeuer wée haue GOD is the author thereof of whom in lifting vp our harts we desire the same Example of lifting vp of the eies in prayer is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ both whē he prayed with thanksgiuing to his Father when hée raised vp Lazarus from death who foure daies lay buried in his graue as also when he prayed to his father not onely for his Disciples but for all that shall beleeue in him Iohn 11.41 and Iohn 17.1 Therefore they tooke away the stone where he was laid that was dead and Iesus lifted vp his eies and said Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard mee This is a token of a mind well framed to praier for to the end a mā may rightly call vpon GOD he must be ioyned with him which cannot bée vnlesse being lifted vp aboue the earth he ascend vp aboue the heauens This is not done with the eye onely seeing that hypocrites who are drowned in the déepe filth and dregges of their flesh séeme with their sterne countenance to draw heauen vnto them but the children of GOD must sincerely perfourme that which hypocrites do but faine Neyther yet must hee that lifteth vp his eyes towardes Heauen there include GOD in his cogitation who is euery where and filleth heauen and earth But because mens mindes can neither escape from nor acquit themselues of grosse inuentions but when they be lifted vp aboue the world the sacred Scripture called vs thither and testifieth that heauen is Gods seat As touching the lifting vp of eies it is no continuall ceremonie which lawfull Praier cannot want For the Publican that praieth with his countenance towardes the earth doth neuerthelesse pearce the heauens with his faith Yet that is a profitable exercise whereby men awake and stirre vp themselues to séeke the Lord yea the feruentnesse of prayer doth so affect and moue the body sometimes that besides meditation it doth willingly folow the mind Certainly it is without all doubt that when Christ and Dauid lifted vp their eyes towards heauen they were caried thither with singular vehemency Vse The vse is that in our prayer we lifting vp our eies to the Lord should not doe it as the hypocrites without the affections of our minds but that both the eyes and the affections of our minds being lifted vp to him together we may be assured that he will heare vs. If we bée in daungers he will deliuer vs if in pouerty he will relieue vs if in sicknes he will cure vs if in sorow he will solace vs. Iohn 17.1 These things spake Iesus and he lifted vp his eies towardes heauen In that Iohn said that Christ lifted vp his eyes towards heauen it was no small signe of zeale and feruentnes For Christ testified in déed by this gesture that he was rather in heauen by the affection of his mind then in earth that he might talke familiarly with God He looked vp towards heauen not that God is shut vp there who doth also fill the earth Ierem. 23. but because his maiestie appeareth there chiefly and secondly because the beholding of heauen doth admonish vs that the power of GOD farre passeth all creatures To the same purpose serued the lifting vp of his hāds when he praied for seing that men are slacke and slow by nature and their earthly nature doth bend them downeward they haue néed to bee stirred vp thus yea they haue néed of chariots to carrie them vp to God But if wee desire to imitate Christ and Dauid truly we must take diligent héed that our ceremonies expresse no more then is in the mind but let the inward affection mooue both handes eies tongue féet and whatsoeuer we haue
yet he will not heare them Solutiō The Solution is very easie if wee waigh wel what is said in the Psal 145.18 The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that call vpō him in truth There the Prophet sheweth that many seeke God howbeit fainedly By reason whereof wee be conuinced that there is none other meanes to rid vs of our miseries but onely that God should take vs to his mercy and be pitiful vnto vs. The very infidels call vpon him without regard of him notwithstāding that they scorne at religion and at all things that are spoken to vs in the sacred Scriptures concerning Gods prouidēce his mercy and grace which wee must looke for at his hands Therefore if they be pinched with aduersity they cry Alas my God And what compelleth them thereunto Euen their mother wit So the hypocrites and despisers of God may haue some forme or likenes of praying not onely to speake but to speake properly they cānot pray in déed for they are destitute of the Spirite therof frō their teeth outward whiles their minds are otherwise busied but oftentimes as men may perceyue euen with some harty affection for they are forced thereunto but yet is it not in truth For they haue not the knowledge to say My God calleth and allureth mée vnto him I shall not therefore lose my labour in comming to him Seing it is his good pleasure to reckon and accompt mee in the number of his deerly beloued children I will go to him not on a foolish rashnes and presumption but with obedience vnto the voice of my GOD trusting to his promise The hypocrites cannot speake this language therefore they haue no truth in them For they must haue faith and faith dependeth on the promises of God which the wicked haue not yea neuer tasted of Againe wee must haue a féeling of our miseries so that when we approch vnto God we must be abashed of our selues we must be sory for our sinnes we must hate our selues and wee must acknowledge our selues to be excéeding miserable But the wicked and hypocrites haue none of all these Although then their mouths are open to call vpon God yet do they but blaspheme and vnhallow his holy name because their mindes are not sound and vpright Herba solaris A similitude Heliotropium the herbe of the Sunne so called because it windeth it self about with the Sunne in the morning very early it doth as it were behold the rising therof and all the day it followeth the course of the Sunne euer turning the leaues towards the same but the roote it neuer chaungeth stirreth nor mooueth but hath that stil fast fixed in the earth Euen so many will turne vp their eyes and handes to the sonne of righteousnes but it is onely in ceremonie and outward gestures for their rootes their hearts are farre and fast within the earth how can they then bée lifted vp to heauen where in déede their treasure is according to the words of our sauiour Christ Math. 6. Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Such men will lift vp their handes eyes and voices towardes heauen to GOD and with such goodly gréene leaues will make a faire florish and beautifull shewe but their hearts and affections are surely sette vpon earthly vaine vile and transitorie thinges and are as farre from GOD as heauen and earth are distant the one from the other How then can they possibly in faith cal vpon the Lord that theyr prayers should bee heard And therefore they fulfill the saying of the Prophet Esay chap. 29.13 This people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their heartes are farre from mee So then lette vs marke well that when God saith that hee will heare the prayers of all them that call vpon him hee meaneth that their prayers must procéede from faith and wée must bethinke our selues well beforehand of his promises thereby to bée encouraged to come vnto him yet wée must also acknowledge our selues to be as we surely are of our selues forlorne damnable and destitute of all goodnes and this we must be throughly perswaded of to the end that wée may resort to the fountaine of his goodnes and grace Now we sée there is no cause why we should thinke it strāge that God putteth hypocrits wicked men back whē they come to him For they come not with a willing mind nor a pure affection but they would willingly shunne and auoid his hand if it were possible Howbeit seing that they by no means possible that they can deuise can shift themselues from him they come to him by compulsion A similitude For euen as a theefe a murtherer or any other great malefactor being shut vp in prison would not willingly appeare before the Iudge but would wish in his heart that rather there were none at all but seing they are and must bee full sore against their willes that sinne might be punished and vertue rewarded they then humbly entreat him to shew mercie to them Euen so the wicked and hypocrites wish in their heart there were no God but seing he is and wil be they repayre to him not as being perswaded of him as of a louing and mercifull father but as a seuere Iudge but what profiteth that Therefore when we pray vnto God let vs offer vnto him free harted sacrifices let vs haue accesse to him with willing mindes assuring our selues that without him we are destitute of al things we want of all that appertaine to our good Moreouer let vs not doubt of his fauour towards vs seing hée hath promised it vnto vs but let vs alwaies beleeue that he is ready to receiue vs and wil not be deafe to our desires when we come to craue them at his hands True it is that God euery minute sheweth his goodnes towards vs and although wée presently perceiue it not yet doth he preserue vs from the miseries that hang ouer our head and putteth his louing hand betwéene vs and them So then wée cannot but be experienced of his grace in the time of prosperity know that wée are maintayned by the same but yet haue wée not so certaine and manifest experience of his fauour and helpe in prosperity as in aduersity For whensoeuer misery pincheth vs and death threateneth vs wée can discerne that we are wretched forlorne creatures if God should not step before vs to rescue vs. And to speake the truth more largely How great and grieuous were the sorrowes troubles anguish and griefe of our soules if wée had not this swéete consideration Yée sée then an euident Demonstration that God hath had and now hath mercy and compassion vpon vs. We sée therefore that affliction is that wherein God chiefly sheweth himself to be our sauiour Here we sée wherefore God saith in the Psalm 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee But shall we therefore inferre
against it So then hath vnrighteousnes gotten full scope Are the wicked growen so headstrong and lusty that they confoūd all things Do they handle so corruptly their matters that there séemeth there can bee no redresse nor remedie to bee had to deliuer the deare children of GOD out of their trappes and nets which they haue laid to entrappe entangle them The Spirit of God aduertiseth vs that it is Gods will to hide his face after that maner to the end that thereby hee might trie our obedience Therefore let vs stay vntill he enlighten vs and then shall wee vnderstand that not without cause hath he sent these troubles vnto vs. The faithfull as Dauid desire of God to shew and lift vp his countenance towards them Psal 80.20 Turne vs againe O Lord God of hosts cause thy face to shine and wee shall bee saued for that is it wherein all our ioy blessednesse and welfare consisteth What is therefore most to be desired of vs the face and countenance of God euen as contrariwise when hee turneth his backe vpon vs and hideth himselfe from vs we must of necessitie be discouraged miserable forlorne and out of heart for there is nothing wherein a man may finde rest but onely in knowing that God hath a care of vs. So long then as God vouchsafeth to cast his fauourable face vpon vs wee haue cause to reioyce and bee glad for wée are assured that hée will maintaine vs that wee shall haue no cause nor néede to dreade or feare any thing But if GOD forget vs and turne away his face from vs wée are at our wits end and that not without great cause For then we are as it were left open to sathan to praie vpon vs and an hundred thousand deaths beset vs round about without recouerie We sée then that Gods face is a thing to be prayed for which wee shall haue especially if we come to him by praier in all humblenesse with a desire true and ful purpose and intent to cleaue vnto him But if we looke aloft and haue foreheads of brasse and bee puffed vp with the Pharise to vaunt our selues before God as it were in despite of him then must he be faine to looke vpon vs with another maner of countenance which shal not comfortably chéere vs but vtterly destroy vs. Then one looke of God can rid all men quite and cleane out of the world whē they cast a proude look against him Wherfore with Dauid let vs hold downe our heads and let vs goe vnto God to doe him seruice and obedience let vs pray vnto him to enlighten our eies that we may seeke him as our good father let vs beséech him of his great goodnes vnspeakeable mercie that he would looke vpon vs in such wise that thereby we may haue al perfection of ioy and contentation to rest vpon Turne thy face O Lord c. Doct. 2 2. Doct. The only refuge in distresse is to flie to the Lord by faith and feruent praier 1. Reason Because it is he that smiteth and none els can heale Iob. 5.18 Secondly He hath promised to heare and deliuer vs calling vpon him in the day of our troubles Psalm 50.15 Vse The vse is first to reproue them that repine against God waxe impatient or vse vnlawfull meanes to wind themselues out of their troubles Secondly to teach vs in all our distresses to labour our owne hearts that wee may pray vnto the Lord for his grace to deliuer vs and in the meane while for strength to support vs. Text. For I am desolate poore Doct. 3 3. Doct. The miseries inflicted on Gods childrē by the wicked being alleadged in praier to the Lord is a forcible reasō to moue him to heare relieue thē 1. Reason The Lord pitieth the miseries of his seruants Secondly the Lord loueth them with an euerlasting loue Thirdly the wicked afflict them for their profession and religions sake Vse The vse is to alleadge it in our prayers when wee desire to be freed from such miseries Secondly with patience to waite the Lords leysure being assured that in good time hee will rescue his seruants from all the wrongs that they can suffer of the wicked for well doing The eighth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme 17. 18. verses 17. The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged draw mee out of my troubles The sence is SO great O Lord my God is the heape and increasing multitude of the sorrowes of my heart minde which for my sins thou hast inflicted vpon mee which as a dammed vp riuer rushing and ouerflowing a whole countrey possesse euerie part and parcell as I may say of my soule that except thou be good and gratious vnto me in drawing me as it were forcibly out of them I should surely bee ouerwhelmed with them wherefore séeing none can redresse them but onely thou O Lord my God and séeing that thou hast pittie of the afflictions of the minds which of all others are the grieuousest and greatest of thy deare children that trust in thy mercie cal vpon thy maiestie I humbly entreate and beséech thée of thine accustomed clemencie to draw me out of those terrible troubles which now I am in and pardon my sinnes so shall I praise glorifie thée O Lord for thine vnspeakeable goodnes towards mee The sorrowes of my heart c. Doct. 1 1. Doct. The Lord for our sins inwardly so afflicteth his deare children that they haue neither rest nor quietnes within them The Reason is they are so many and odious in his sight Vse The vse is that wee anoyd sinne alwaies as that which procureth vs the greatest hurt both in this life in that life to come We must therefore to auoyd Gods indignatiō vse the meanes to eschew euill feare God and be vpright in heart First let vs pray to the Lord our God to giue vs sound vpright hearts that we may not haue an heart and an heart that is be double-hearted hypocrites that wee serue not God in outward appearance onely with our féete hands and eies but that our hearts march before and that wée haue a pure and single meaning to giue our selues ouer to God to be wholy his and to abhorre al hypocrisies At this poynt we must begin if wée would be deliuered frō sorrowes if we would haue our life well ruled approued of the Lord wee must shewe outwardly what lieth within vs so that if the root be good it shal presently bring forth good fruits that our workes may witnes that our shew of seruing God and our assurance of all things néedfull which we shall receiue at his bountiful hands are not in vaine And this consisteth in two things that wée deale with vprightnesse and equitie amongst our neighbours Also that we haue religion in vs to serue God asscribing al goodnes to him the author and fountain thereof We may not then do as the most do regard and be louers of themselues séeking not
them but theirs which are their neighbours but forasmuch as the Lord in one body hath bound vs we ought to be carefull to benefite our brethren and profite our neighbours to maintaine brotherly communion and equitie not to doe that to others which wee would not to bee done vnto our selues Doct. 2 2. Doct. In all our troubles and tribulations when the sorrowes of our hearts are enlarged let vs come to God by prayer humbly beséeching him to draw vs and deliuer vs from them all then shall our troubles when it séemeth méete to his heauenly wisedome haue an end The Reason is first it is his propertie for hee is a gratious and louing father Psalm 130. As a father hath pittie vpon his children so is the Lord mercifull to them that feare him Secondly he hath promised to heare the prayers of his Church and of euerie particular member thereof Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Vse The vse is that wee exercise prayer at all times but especially in aduersitie séeing that it is the greatest meanes to attaine to comfort in affliction Dauid did vnfainedly powre foorth his complaints and sorrowes vnto God Hée was not benummed as infidels and incredulous which among the Christians like an huge streame lamentable it is to consider thereof do ouerflow Christendome this Land yea this Towne are If God handle them any thing roughly they thinke yea many times they say Sée this misfortune that is happened vnto me they looke no further Dauid did not so But he knew and was fully resolued that it behooued him to impute these thinges vnto God Had we learned this lesson we had profited well for one day I meane if we had practised it throughly as we ought to do For most can well enough confesse that diseases deaths and other miseries as warres plagues famines and all such things come of God but if it come to the proofe wée are amazed and not able to make this sound conclusion within our selues Well seeing that God visiteth and commeth home vnto vs it behoueth vs now to returne vnto him Hitherto wée haue like loose colts as it were flung into the aire wée haue wilfully runne astray from him and nowe with a rough bitte hee rayneth vs he shaketh his rodde at vs yea hée maketh vs to feele it therefore we must learne to stoope vnder his hand But contrariwise how deale wée in that behalfe If a man be afflicted any way either in the losse of his goods of his libertie of his life or be gréeued in spirite what will hée else doe but chafe and grind his téeth in grudging against God Wherefore no doubt if a man tell him he hath offended GOD he will easily grant it to bee true but hee hath no true remorse to restraine himselfe Wherefore Because wee haue but a confused conceite thereof Hereby it is euedent that few they are and smal is the number of persons that haue this lesson well printed in their hearts That all afflictions are Gods Archers and that hée is garded with them to shew himselfe to be our Iudge As much is to be said of the ordinary aduersities that GOD commonly inflicteth If people or a whole countrie bee touched with warre when pollings extortions and other outrages are there done how many people are there that thinke vpon the Lord Wee sée that all is out of order to our séeming yet wee consider not that God guideth the sterne When we sée such turmoylings we are admonished to marke and not so much the more the sacred Scriptures wherein GOD sheweth vs as in a looking glasse or rather as in a liuely picture that on what side soeuer man be afflicted it becommeth him to acknowledge the same to be the hand of GOD and especially if an whole country be plagued it must be acknowledged to be Gods visitation Wherefore when any such thing commeth let vs follow the example of Dauid to desire our good and gracious GOD to extende his holy hand and powre forth his bowels of compassion vpon vs. When we are scourged that we can to our thinking beare no more his heauie hand in afflicting vs let vs flie to our good God for succour And if we wéepe before him so it be with true lowlinesse surely there shall not one teare droppe from our eyes which shall not come to be accompted of in his presence For euery one of them are sacrifices according as it is said in the Psal 51.11 That a sorrowfull heart or an heart cast downe is a pleasant sacrifice to God If our teares sighes pantings and gronings tend to this ende and be as witnesses of our flying vnto God with all lowlinesse acknowledging that for as much as his hand is against vs and that our onely remedie is to beseech him to be mercifull vnto vs it is certeine he will greatly account of them Whosoeuer is wise wil ponder these things and he shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord. The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged Text. Doct. 3 3. Doct. As our sinnes euen so shall our sorrowes increase 1. Reason New sinnes must haue new afflictions Examples are many in the sacred Scriptures Pharaoh and the Egyptians as they hardened their hearts in not suffering the Israelites to go into the wildernes to sacrifice to the Lord Exo. 7.8 9.10 so GOD sent plagues vpon plagues vpon them The ten Tribes Amos 4.6 And therefore haue I for your peruerting of Iustice and your idolatrie sent vnto you cleannesse of teeth in all your cities and scarcenesse of bread in all your places yet haue you not returned vnto me saith the Lord. vers 7. Also I haue withholden the raine from you when there was 3. moneths to the haruest I caused it to raine vpon one citie haue not caused it to raine vpon another citie c. Thus did the Lord by Moses presage Leuiticus 26. from the 14. verse to the 40. Deut. 28.15 to the ende The vse is that as we desire our sorrowes to be mitigated euen so we cease increasing heaping vp sinne vpon sin When we shall sée the whole world corrupted so that we are as it were among bryars and can sée nothing but euill examples let vs resist all such things Wherefore If wee be so lazie as to make excuse that because the world is wicked and froward wee may wel doe as others doe that is fond and foolish for Lot Iob and Ioshua are set before vs to condemne vs. For if Lot were so iust that hée not onely abstained from the grosse sinnes excepting drunkennesse and incest which hee committed as pride fulnesse of bread aboundance of Idlenesse and vnmercifulnesse and that namelesse sinne which they committed but that for their sinnes his soule was vexed from day to day in séeing their abominations If iust Ioseph abstained from that sinne of whoredome whereunto his mistresse not without promise of great
notwithstanding God findeth meanes whereby the euill that is in Sathan and in our selues are turned to our good And here we sée how S. Paul was cured as it were Heb. 2.14 with a medicine as he himselfe confesseth after he had spoken of those high Reuelations which God gaue him 2. Cor. 12.1 2. Co. 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. It is not expedient for me no doubt to reioyce for I will come to visions and reuelations of the Lord. ver 2. I know a man in Christ aboue fourteene yeeres agone whether hee were in the bothe I cannot tell or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth which was taken vp into the third heauen ver 3. And I know such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth ver 4. How that hee was taken vp into Paradise and heard words which cannot bee spoken which are not possible for man to vtter ver 5. Or such a man will I reioyce of my selfe will I not reioyce except it bee of mine infirmities ver 6. For though I would reioyce I should not be a foole For I will say the truth but I refraine lest any man should thinke of me aboue that hee seeth in me or that hee heareth of me c. to the end of the ninth verse God hath prouided for me that I should not exalt my selfe too much Loe here a good preuision and very profitable for him For we know that pride is ready to throw vs headlong into hell and there is nothing that more prouoketh Gods displeasure then it For hee must of necessitie shew himselfe an enemie to the proude and to such as presume aboue their owne strength after what maner so euer it bee And S. Paul was in the same daunger if God had not remedied it In what sort did hee it It was saith Paul by sending me the messenger of Sathan to buffet me Sée how Sathan worketh in S. Paul euē by Gods permission And what was the issue Questionlesse he meant vtterly to haue ouerwhelmed him and his intent was to haue drawne him into wickednesse to the end that hee would haue him haue giuen ouer the seruice of God and by little little to haue withdrawne himselfe from Christianitie by reason of the wearisome miseries and troubles which he endured without ceasing Behold heere Sathans purpose Notwithstanding this God purposed another end to binde his deare seruant that he should not forget himselfe and so exalt himselfe to the great displeasure of God For this cause he was buffetted The Apostle doth purposely chuse the phrase of buffetting God vsed him not as a man of armes that fighteth in the fielde to giue him a glorious victorie but buffetted him like a boy to his shame and reproach Thus the holy Apostle whome God had endued with so excellent gifts of the holy Ghost was so farre made an vnderling to Sathan that he as it were spit in his face and wrought him many other villanies We sée then how God turneth the euill into good when hee maketh all Sathans stings to serue vs as medicines whereby he purgeth vs of the vices that Sathan hid in vs. And therfore we haue cause to praise God in al respects yea euē although at the first sight his iudgemēt séemeth to our imaginations ouer-boysterous and that by our fleshly vnderstanding wee cannot vnderstand them When we haue well considered all these and many more of these his mercies we shall euer haue wherewith to glorifie and magnifie our good God and father To bee yet better confirmed in this truth let vs consider how afflictions serue for our profit and saluation First for as much as the reliques of sinne abide still euen in the perfectest in this life which maketh them hardned in their sinnes Fruite to awake vs out of our sinnes Rom. 12.1 and inclined to offend GOD we haue néede of helpes to be awaked to be humbled and drawne from our sinnes to kéepe vs in the time to come and so to dispose vs to a perfect obedience holy and acceptable to God And to this end tend the afflictions of them which kéepe the couenaunt and testimonies of God his deare children which for this cause are called chasticements corrections and medicines of our selues Iosephs brethren Gen. 42 21. The children of Iacob hauing committed a detestable crime in selling their brother Ioseph neuer thought of it vntill they being in Egypt oppressed with reproches and imprisonment called to mind their sin saying one to another Surely wee haue sinned against our brother for we sawe the anguish of his soule when hee besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come to vs. Manasses king of Iudah Manasses hauing set vp Idolatrie persecuted those that would haue purely serued the Lord 2. Chro. 33. so that Ierusalem was full of bloud and hauing shut his eares to the admonitions of the Lord in the end was taken by the army of the king of the Assyrians bound with manacles fettered in chaines and carried prisoner into Babylon Then being in afflictions he was excéedingly humbled before God hee praied to the Lord and was heard and carried backe vnto Ierusalem The fifth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme the 11 and 12. verses 11 For thy name sake O Lord be mercifull to mine iniquitie for it is great THis is a prayer of the holy Prophet king Dauid after his holy meditation of the vnspeakable mercy and eternall truth of God in kéeping his promises to them that truely worship him and obey his holy lawes Two special branches it containeth The first an earnest and zealous prayer to GOD for his name sake not for his merites to pardon his sinne Secondly is a déepe search of them without soothing excusing or hiding them Text. For it is great The forme that the Prophet obserueth in ioyning this prayer to his former meditation of the mercie and truth of GOD towards them that obey him is this When he had throughly meditated with himselfe that God was good gracious towards his seruants he considered himselfe acknowledging that except the Lord of his great mercie would pardon his great and gréeuous sinnes he should be none of them Therfore he praieth as the like he did at another time before when hee spake of the reward which God layeth vp for the faithfull that kéepe his holy Lawe Psalm 19.10 Psal 19.10 11 12. And more to be desired meaning the holy lawes of God thē gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the hony the hony cōbe verse 11. Moreouer by them is thy seruant made circumspect in keeping of thē there is great reward vers 12. Who can vnderstand his faults clense me frō my secrete faults that GOD for his name sake would pardon him The sence is briefly this My sinnes O Lorde as a great burden sore oppresse mee for whose sake except thou pardon them of thy